First Days in Longido

When I arrived in Longido much work awaited me and so did familiar smiling faces. It was good to be back in a place that felt like "home". I spent the week meeting with the TEMBO Tanzania staff about planning the ceremony on Wed. January 23 to mark the beginning of our Guest House construction. We made a guest list, addressed and delivered the invitations throughout our two villages.

Arnold - one of the happiest little guys in the village

My first village photo was of Beatrice, Sharon, and a friend

I also visited the TGH (TEMBO Guest House) site daily to talk with the two men who were stringing the seven layers of barbed wire through the cement posts, and the third man who was building the askari's (watchman) hut. The blistering heat from the sun did not seem to affect them as it did me.

The askari hut

TEMBO Tanzania staff member, Joseph Mara at the gate entrance

Our 2 acre site is located at the foot of beautiful Mount Longido. There is plenty of room for both the guest house, the future new library, and lots of room to do creative landscaping. Our plan is to plant many indigenous trees and plants that will do well in the drought conditions that characterize the Longido region. To do that, lots of scrub will need to be removed. The fence itself will feature bougainvillea's in oranges, pinks, whites, and deep reds. We'll need a few hundred of these to climb the winding perimeter fence. They cannot be planted until the rains begin in March or April.

The TEMBO Guest House site. White fence posts are in the background.

Stringing barbed wire - it's tough on the hands

I also met with our staff to plan the program details for this weeks visitors from Canada. I will show some photos in the next update. For now I can say TEMBO's guests arrived safely last night, Saturday. Tomorrow morning, Monday, we will leave for five days in Longido and Kimokouwa. We've put together a program of activities that will immerse Cindy, Sylvia, Rose, John, and Carol Ann in the Maasai culture and way of life. They will also visit TEMBO projects to meet and talk to villagers who are benefiting from the support of so many donors. One day will include a feast in Baba Paulo's Maasai boma. We have known Paulo since 1998 when Marian and I began sponsoring his daughter, Kokoyai. He is an 81 year old village leader who has the respect of everyone, including ourselves.

Paulo, with his huge smile, welcomes visitors from Canada "with both hands".

That is it for this week. And, my apologies for the blue tinge to the photos here. The white balance on my camera was not set correctly.